A group of veterans and supporters march from the steps of the Legislative Building for a Twenty22Many rally on July 22, 2015, in Olympia, Wash. The group marched to promote reducing suicide rates among military veterans with help from medical marijuana. (Steve Bloom, The Olympian via AP)

"All we want is equal treatment for our wounded warriors," said Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), sponsor of the amendment

The House Rules Committee decided Tuesday not to allow a medical marijuana amendment to proceed to a full vote, as part of the 2018 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill later this week.

The amendment would have prohibited federal funds from interfering with a veteran’s ability to take part in medical marijuana programs legalized in certain states. It would also allow Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors in those states to make appropriate recommendations, fill out forms, or take steps to comply with those programs.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), sponsor of the amendment, said in a statement, “All we want is equal treatment for our wounded warriors. This provision overwhelmingly passed on the House floor last year – and bipartisan support has only grown. It’s outrageous that the Rules Committee won’t even allow a vote for our veterans. They deserve better. They deserve compassion.

“Given that veterans are more likely to commit suicide or die from opiate overdoses than civilians, our fight to provide them safer alternatives won’t stop here. We have stronger support in the House and Senate than ever before, and we will keep advocating for a more rational approach.”

According to Stars and Stripes, one committee Republican, Rep. Dan Newhouse (Washington), spoke in favor of the amendment. “I’ve seen firsthand the benefit people can derive from medical marijuana,” he said. “It seems to me if it’s available and it works, we should make that available to our veterans as well. I support your effort.”

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a similar amendment on July 13 by a 24-7 vote. Once the bill clears the House, a bipartisan conference committee will determine whether to include it in the final reconciled bill.

Both the House and Senate passed a similar amendment last year. But that provision, as the Military Times reported in June 2016, disappeared from the final VA funding bill after Republicans removed it during a concurrence vote.

Because cannabis is a Schedule I drug, prohibited at the federal level, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) specifically prohibits VA medical providers from prescribing medical marijuana in states where it is legal.

In his May “State of the VA” address, Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin made the agency’s position clear. “Until the time that federal law changes,” he said, “we are not able to be able to prescribe medical marijuana for conditions that may be helpful.”

Polly joined The Cannabist in December 2016 as a digital producer. She has been creating print, web and video content for a couple of decades. She returned to her home town of Denver in 2012 after living in eleven other cities in four countries, and...